Be more productive

Agile Agenda Agile Agenda is a project management tool that helps project managers keep their team on track.

Agile Agenda is quite impressive. You can add your team and input information about the tasks you need to perform. You can set priority, dependencies, when a task should be completed, and more. You can also edit milestones so you can track how the project is coming along. Most importantly, the app's fantastic design makes it easy to use.

Agile Agenda gives you the option of trying it for 3 days or 30 days, or buying a license. If you're buying one license, the software will set you back $70. More licenses reduce the price.

Agile Agenda makes it much easier to manage projects.
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

Doomi Doomi is an extremely simple to-do-list app that lets you quickly add items you need to complete. That list is displayed under the input box. You can set how long it should take to complete the task and mark the box next to it when it's complete. It's a simple app, but it's far more effective than writing your to-do list down.

Doomi keeps you on track with a to-do list.
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

File Furnace File Furnace is a unique app. Instead of impressing you with a nice design and several menus, the app displays a simple image of a fire. Over that, the app displays a message that reads, "Drop unwanted files here." It also features the sound of a crackling fire. As long as you follow the directions of File Furnace, and drag and drop unwanted files or directories into the fire, it permanently removes them from your computer. It's a slightly unusual app, but it's much easier to delete files with File Furnace than waste time with the Recycle Bin.

Google Calendar Invoice Creator If you're looking for an easy way to transfer all your meetings from your Google Calendar to a program that will bill those with whom you met, Google Calendar Invoice Creator is for you.

Once you download the app, you'll need to input your Google Calendar RSS feed into the app. From there, it will download all your events. When you finish a meeting, you can click on the event and start billing those you met with. The invoice can be sent in an HTML or text format.

Klok Klok is a simple time sheet app that lets you quickly add projects and how long it took you to complete them. The app even records how long you've been working on something for a client. When you stop the timer, you can modify its description and add it to your time sheet. When you're ready, you can create reports to see how much work you've performed. Unlike many time sheet apps, getting used to Klok takes no time. It's a well-designed, easy-to-use program.

Klok makes it easy to add projects to your time sheets.
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

MiniTask MiniTask won't blow you away with its design, and you probably won't be incredibly impressed by its lack of features. But MiniTask is designed to be a lightweight app on your desktop that gets you back to work sooner. It wants to make tracking your day's requirements quick and easy. And with a simple input field, it succeeds. MiniTask isn't the best task-tracking tool in this roundup, but if you're looking to be more productive, it should help.

MiniTask is small, but capable.
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

Ora Time and Expense As a former company auditor that spent far too much time inputting data into a time-and-expense tool, I was suspect of Ora Time and Expense. I thought it would be too simple. Oh, how wrong I was.

Ora Time and Expense is, quite simply, the best time and expense app I've ever used. As soon as you download it, you'll be treated to a fantastic design that makes it extremely easy to find anything you need. From there, you can add tasks, input expenses, and track your time. You can also run reports to see how much work you've performed and how much money you've made. The app's timer will help you determine how long you've spent working. Ora Time and Expense is a must-try.

Ora Time and Expense will help you track all your cash.
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

Remember the Task Remember the Task is the AIR version of Remember the Milk, the popular online to-do list service.

Like the site, Remember the Task makes it quick and easy to add tasks to your to-do list. With a simple click of the mouse, you can jot down exactly what needs to be done. That said, it's not quite as simple to use as Doomi. Its design doesn't quite match Doomi's, either. But if you're looking for an alternative to Doomi that you can use anywhere, you should be happy with Remember the Task.

Remember the Task has a slightly older-looking design, but it's still a nice app.
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

Think Think is yet another simple but highly useful app. Instead of jotting ideas down in your head or trying to remember things after a meeting, Think provides a simple, Twitter-like input box, allowing you to jot some mental notes down. Once you complete your thought, it's added to your Think timeline for future viewing. It works well, but I had one issue: you can't press the "Enter" key to post an update. Instead, Think requires you to enter the thought with your mouse. It's annoying, but it didn't detract too much from the app.

Think helps you remember important thoughts.
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

TweetDeck TweetDeck is not only one of the best apps you'll use with Adobe AIR, it will easily make you more productive when you start interacting with social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

After you download TweetDeck, you can input your Twitter username and start checking out follower updates, replies, and direct messages. You can update your stream from the app. You can also shorten URLs automatically. If you want to manage your Facebook profile, TweetDeck allows you to update your status. You can also see what your friends are up to. Why waste your time on multiple sites? TweetDeck will help you stay in one spot.

TweetDeck shows your Twitter stream
Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

My top 3

1. Ora Time and Expense: Combining power and style, Ora Time and Expense is an extremely appealing app for those looking to be more productive.

2. Doomi: If you want to see what's left of your day, Doomi is for you.

3. Google Calendar Invoice Creator: By integrating Google Calendar, this app is a great way to be more productive.

About the author

Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
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